Hemp-stripping machine



ATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIVVENTOR F P. H. FRANK HEMP STRIPPINGMACHINE Filed June 5 Aug. 5, 1924.

Aug. 5, 1924. 1,503,788

P. H. FRANK HEMP STRIPPING MACHINE Filed June 5 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet, 2

WITNESSES INVE/VTUR ATTORNEYS P. H. FRANK HEMP STRIPPING MACHINE FiledJune 5, 1920 4 Shets-Sheet lNl/E/VTUR fili 00k WITNESSES ,4 zj

A TTOR/VEYS Aug. 5 924- P. H. FRANK HEMP STRIPPING MACHINE Filed Jun 51920 4 Sheets-Sheet. 4

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 5,1924.

PATRICK HENRY manner ZAMBOANGA, rnrmrrmn ISLANDS.

HElVIY-STR-IPBING MACHINE.

Application filed June 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK HENRY FRANK, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Zamboanga, Philippine Islands, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Hemp-Stripping Machines, of which the following isa specification.

My present invention relates generally to machines for stripping hempand particularly to a machine whereby the operation of pulling hempleaves under stripping knives may be accomplished mechanically and thegreat strain of performing this operation manually, avoided in this way.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a machine ofsufiicient strength and'dura'bility to effectively accomplish thedesired operation, and at the same time one which is capable of readytransportation from one-part to another about a plantation.

It is a well-known factthat at the present time hemp strippingoperations are carried out by hand, the'butts ofthe leaves being graspedand drawn under knives held by adjustable pressure.

It is furthermore wellknown that this is an extremely laboriousoperation frequently impairing andrruining operators health through thestrains incident to manriage, on an enlarged scale,

ual manipulation of the leaves, all of which my invention bysubstituting mechanical means, avoids.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention and forming apart of this application,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is av front elevation, Figure 3is a top plan view of V the car- Figure 4 is a side View thereof, Figure5 is a provisional end elevation of the carriage,

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section through the mainframe, on anenlarged scale,

Figure 7 is a detail section through one of the carriage supportedclamps,

Figure 8 is an enlarged side view of cer tain portions tobe hereinafterspecifically.

referred to. 7

Referring now to these figures, the main frame of my improved apparatusis mount ed on lower side runners 10,. and'includes a series of uprights11, certain of which are inclined as seen in Figure 6. The upper 1920.Serial N0. 386,722.

ends of these uprights are connected by crossbars 12 which supportparallel lengthwise rails 13, each of which rails is formed of anglebars as most clearly shown in Figure. 6 to receive and partially encloserollers 14 .rotatably .mounted at the lower side portions of alengthwise movable carriage 15.

To opposite endsof the carriage 15 are secured the oppositeends ofcables or other flexible operating connections 16 and 17 extendinglengthwise between the rails 13 and downwardly and inwardly aroundpulleys 18 and 19 at the relativelyopposite ends of the -main frame, thelower extensions of these flexible operating connections leading topulleys 20 and 21, to which they are attached and around which they areadapted to wind and unwind. These pulleys are respectively mounted uponshaftsv 22 and 23, having sprocket wheels connected by a sprocket chain24 and each provided with a suitableclutch engageable with its normal lyloose cable actuating drum or pulley. The clutches of the two shafts of'which the clutch of shaft 22 is indicated at 25 in F igure. 1, arecontrolled through clutch actuating levers 26 and 27 having crankconnections with the lower ends of rock shafts 28 and 29, the latter ofwhich upstand at relatively opposite sides of the main frame and alsoupon relatively opposite sides of the centerof the frame.

These rock shafts have-angular arms 30 beneath the rails 13, to which.lengthwise A sides thereof and toward relatively opposite ends wherethey are connected to operating levers 32 for starting the operation ateither end of the-main frame.

At each end the main frame has a stationary transverse knife block 33,above which is a transversely disposed vertically movable strippingknife 34, the latter removably bolted to the upper cross piece 35 of aknife supporting frame including depending side bars 36 connectedv at"their lower ends by a cross bar 37.- This latter crossbar 37 isengagedby the free end of a spring 38 adjustable below the respective end ofthe main frame in connection with an upright 39 and anchored at one endtov an upright 40. The spring 38 supplies thetension which in theeffective position of the stripping knife 34 holds the latter downwardlyandwith the requiredtension, upon the knife block 33 or moreparticularly upon a hemp leaf disposed between the stripping blade andthe knife block. 7

To certain of the end uprights 11 at each end of the main frame, ispivoted a foot for it to be grasped by the respective clamp.

of the carriage 15' to be. hereinafter de-' g scribed.

At each end, the carriage 15 1s provlded with notches in its uppersidebars 46,

receiving the ends of a transverse shaft 47 journaled through thecarriage uprights 15 V and alsoextending through and secured to theupper ends of the side portions48 of a clamp including a lower. crossbar 49 to which the-side portions 48 are secured having a lower toothedsurface 50 adapted for cooperation in, clamping engagement with an end.cross piece 51 as the clamp swings downwardly and outwardly, on accountof its shape as shown. ,Each shaft 47 is connected intermediate its endsto links 52 and an arm 53, with a cross shaft 54 having a dependingsidearm 55, .it being noted that.

the two arms. 55v are located at relatively opposite sides of thecarriage for engagement at relatively opposite ends of the main frame,by stop pieces56 located adjacent to the stripping knives so that uponengagement of these stop pieces with the lower end of the respectivesidearm, swinging movement of the latter will .be' transmitted throughthe respective shaft 54 and the connections 52 and 53, to the respectiveclamp actuating shaft 47 so as to swing the clamp upwardly andrearwardly and in this way open the clamp for the reception of the leafbutt after the latter has been shifted beneath therespective strippingblade.

Figures 1, 3 and 4 show both clamps closed, with the triggers ininactive positions and, due to the location of the arms 55 and theirrespective stop pieces 56 .at

relatively oppositeends of the carriage 15 and the frame as previouslymentioned, it becomes obvious that the carriage of Figure 1 willcomplete its movement to the right hand end of the frame before the stoppiece 56 operates to: open the left jaw of the carriage or in otherwords that .jaw which Will inoperation carry the material when thecarriage is proceeding to the right. In its next movement the carriagetravels to the left end of the frame with the material engaged undertheright clampof the carriage and proceeds until this latter clamp 55through which the clamps are thus automatically opened, carries a clampengaging trigger 57 which slips beneath and engages the clamp when thelatter 1S raised lnwardly and thus opened and holds it m such positionwhile the leaf is placed beneath the clamp and until downward movementof a trigger releasing bar,58 whose upp er angular end is movabledownwardly to depress and release'the trigger against the tension of thespr ng 51' of thelatter. These trigto the-kn'ife'blocks 33 andeachthereofis also moun-ted adjacent to 011s I of the operating levers32 and is connected at'itslower end thereto by a crank 59'so that whenthe operating lever is pulled toward the end of thefframe,the bar 58 isshifted downwardly.

to release the respective leaf engagingclamp of the carriage 15simultaneously with movement; of thecorresponding connecting rod,

31 so as to shift one of the pulley clutches 1nto act1ve position. Forinstance in Figure 8 the lever 32, is thrownto the left [when thecarriage of Figure '1 stops atthe right hand end of the main frame, andiii-this movement the bar, 58 s shlfted upwardly atvthe rear of theright hand clamp ofthe.

-8() er releasingha'rs 58 are mounted adjacent into the clamp ofthecarriage and the latter is ready to star.t uponits movement tothe-left end of the frame, the lever 32 1s shifted to the rightf'duringwhich movement the; clutches are properly manipulated for such movementof the carriage and also during which movement the bar 581s shifteddownwardly so as to engage and release the respective trigger57permitting. the clamp to actively engage and hold thematerial.

Thus when the lever 32'at the right'end of the main frame in .Figure 1is moved to operative position theclutch of pulley 20 is shifted toengaged position and power is thus communicated from shaft 22 to thepulley 20 so as to wind the flexible con nection 16 onto the drum orpulley and willmove with the carriage toward the left-; hand end of theframe and until it approaches the left end of the machine, where theclamp will be released upon engagement with the respective stoppiece 56,the.v carriage: at or about the same time striking In this way the anupright 60, which rods 31 carries, so that the clutch of pulley 20 willbe shifted and released, stopping the movement of the carriage adjacentto the left-hand end of the machine, with the previously drawn andstripped hemp leaf in released position and with both of its clampselevated and inactive from a previous operation, ready for theintroduction of a hemp leaf.

It is understood that upon the introduction of each hemp leaf therespective foot treadle a1 is depressed to elevate the stripping knife,and while it is apparent a considerable portion of the hemp leaf isrequired to be extended inwardly beyond the knife in order that it maybe engaged with the carriage, it should be understood that in connectionwith the mechanical stripping of hemp leaves they are originally cutfrom the plants somewhat longer than they are at present cut for handstripping so as to give the extra length required.

The shaft 22 is driven and may be extended between two hemp strippingmachines as seen in Figure 2 where shaft 22 is shown provided with fastand loose pulleys 61 and 62 for the reception of a belt and is alsoshown provided with a heavy fly wheel 63 the purpose of which is tomaintain a steady pull and produce clean even fiber, vibration or jerkymotion being very harmful.

I claimz- 1. A hemp stripping machine comprising 7 a frame ad'ustablestri pin knives at the a J P. c

opposite ends of the frame, a carriage having movement lengthwise of theframe between the said knives, leaf holding clamps carried by the endsof the carriage and each of which is swingable toward its respective endof the carriage into active position when movement of the carriage isstarted in one direction and means whereby to shift each of the clampsinto inactive position at the end of the corresponding move ment of thecarriage, as described.

2. A hemp stripping machine comprising a main frame, knife framesadjust-able vertically at opposite ends of the frame, stripping knivesin said latter frames, a carriage movable in the frame between saidknives and having leaf holding'clamps, actuating means for moving thecarriage in relatively opposite directions, manually actuatedconnections for independently shifting the said carriage moving meansinto active position, connections actuated by the carriage for shiftingsaid carriage moving means into inactive position, an adjustablecontrolling spring for each knife frame, and manually actuated meanshaving engagement with the said knife frames for shifting the sameagainst the tension of their springs.

3. A hemp stripping machine comprising each of the actuating .a pair oftransverse shafts,

&

a frame, a carriage movable in the frame, leaf engaging clamps atopposite ends of the frame, each clamp being swingable toward itsrespective end of the carriage into active position, clamp releasingarms swingable at opposite sides of the carriage, link connectionsbetween each arm and its respective clamp to swing the latter toinactive position, means to hold the same in inactive position, andmeans supported on the main frame for actuating the arms during movementof the carriage.

4. A hemp stripping machine comprising a frame, a carriage movable inthe frame, leaf engaging clamps at opposite ends of the frame, eachclamp being swingable toward its respective end of the carriage intoactive position, clamp releasing arms swingable at opposite sides of thecarriage, link connections between each arm and its respective clamp toswing the latter to inactive position, means to hold the same ininactive position, and means supported on the main frame for actuatingthe arms during movement of the carriage, reversible means for actuatingthe carriage in its movement, and manually actuated means forcontrolling the carriage actuating means, having means movable therewithfor releasing the said clamp holding means.

5. A hemp stripping machine. including a lengthwise movable carriage,stripping knives between which the carriage moves, gearing con nectingsaid shafts, means for driving one of the shafts, pulleys looselymounted on said shafts, flexible connections wound on and leading fromsaid pulleys to opposite ends of th carriage, clutches for the pulleysarranged and connected to engage one pulley while the other one isdisengaged, levers controlling said clutches, clamps on the carriage atits opposite ends, means to release said clamps at the opposite ends ofmovement of the'carriage, means to hold the clamps in inactive positionwhen re leased, and means having connection with the clutch controllevers for releasing said clamp holding means w hen movement of thecarriage is started.

6. In a machine of the class described the combination of a main racewayhaving at each end thereof a set of decorticating tools, a carriagesupported upon said raceway, means for reciprocating said carriagetoward and from said decorticating tools, and stock gripping jaws oneach end of said carriage arranged so as to draw a piece of stockthrough the space between the decorticating tools of one away from saidtools, of stock through the space between the decorticating tools of theother set as the carriage is moved in the reverse direction.

7. A machine of the class described comand to draw a piece set as thecarriage is moved )risi-nmin combination-a main frame havin C? C alongitudinally extending track, a carriagemounted uponsaid track, meansfor reciprocating said carriage along said: track, stockgrippingrjaws-at :each enchof the carriage, means constructed-S0-as tohold the jaws at one end of the carriag in gripping position While. thejaws'at-thelother end Ofihe harrmge are allo-wel to rerhaqtn open and 1decorticating toolswarried 011 the frame] and 10 located" at each end of-ofsa1d j'awvs.;

PATRICK HENRY FRANKP the. path: of travel

